Egraphenwerkstatte von g



April 10, 1928.

- U. KOHLER INKING MECHANISM oF MACHINES FOR FRANKING POSTAL MATTER AND THE LIKE 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed sept. e.

gai

April l0, 1928.

U. KHLER INKING m-:cHANIsM oF MACHINES FOR FRANKING POSTAL MATTER AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 8. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 1D, 192.8a

UNITED STiliTFf P'INT OFFCE.

ULRICH KOHLER, OF BER-N', SVJITZEI-LAND, ASSIGNOR TO HASLER A.G. VORMALS TEL- EGRAPHENLERKSTTTE VON G, HASLER, OF BERN, SWITZERLAND, .A SWISS COR- PORATION.

INKING MECHANISM OF MACI lNES FOR FRNING- POSTAL MATTER AND THE LIKE.

Application filed. September 8, 1928, Serial No. 134,213, and in Switzerland September 16, 1925.

My invention relates to machines for franking postal matter' and the like by means of dies or stamps, and has for its object toprovide inkingr mechanism of improved construction for the same.

According' to the invention the inkinc mechanism comprises a frame work removably inserted in the housing of the franking' machine, on which frame work is rcmov ably mounted au ink box with doctor roll, under which box `guided a frame that carries the inking roll and is reciprocated by a lever which is positively connected to it and actuated b v the driving' mechanism of the frankinlcr machine, the displacement of which frame in the one direction feeds the doctor roll of the ink box step-by-step.

According to another feature of the invention there is removably accommodated in the ink box an ink container which is closed above by an ink-loading beam and below by the doctor roll and, after removal from the ink box, can be taken apart for cleaning purposes.

Conveniently, a rotating intermediate roller is arranged between the inkine' roll and the doctor roll, from which latter inl; is transferred to the intermediate roller by alick roller that swings to and fro between the same, which swinging movement is de,- rived from the said reciprocating frame driven by means of a cam which in its starting position holds said frame' in such a position that the lick roller and inking roll are free.

Preferably, a forked lever engages the said frame carrying the inkingg roll. and a seeond lever is fast on its shaft beside. a rotary cam, which second lever is actuated in the one direction by a crank pin on the cam and in the other direction by the cam portion of the cam.

A further feature of the invention resides in the said lick roller being' mounted on a vertically swinging' plate which carries a yielding lever within the rane'e of a tappct arranged on said reciprocating' frame, b v means of which lever the plate with the lick roller is moved up and down when the frame reciprocates.

Convenientlyn one bearingy of the lick roller and the inking roll are each movable laterally in order to remove these rolls.

Yet another feature of the invention is a pawl which engages with a ratchet wheel on the doctor roll, and is so operatively connected with the reciprocating' frame that it is driven by the frame only during an portion of its travel.

Conveniently, the pawl is mounted on a lever which is nuclei.' the control of a spring tendine' to retract it and press it against the ratchet wheel of the doctor roll, the stroke of which lever can be regulated by another adjustable lever serving' as a stop.

,li-rn embodimentof the invention is diaa'ranuuatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying' drawing'. wherein Figure 1 is a vertical section through one form of inlcing mechanism accordingY to the invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof,

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the feed Y device of the doctor roll, while Figures ll, 5 G 7 and S show details.

According' to the drawing, the inking mechanism forming the subject-matter of this invention is removably mounted in the casing; l of a frankingi` machine provided with a die or stamp wheel Q, and is carried by a horizontal plate 4 adjustable in height by means of screws 3. This inking mechanism comprises a framework having' two vertical side plates 5 rigidly connected to cether by cross bars 6.

A yoke-shaped frame 8 is longitudinally slidable in horizontal lgrooves 7 formed in the inner faces of the side plates 5. The free ends of the limbs of this frame face the die wheel 2 and removably carry an inking roll 9 which serves for applying' ink to the lower' dies of the wheel 2. rlhe roll 9 can be set at the correct height by an adjustment of the pla-te 4.

A forked lever 1]., whose shaft 12 carries second lever 13, engages from underneath a cross bar 10 in the rear part of the frame 8. A cam 15 which carries a laterally projecting;r pin 16 is mounted beside said lever 13 on a shaft 14- driven positively by the driving mechanism of the franlrin machine. lllhen the cam 15 rotates in the direction of the arrow the pin 1G carryiirer an antifriction roller strikes the broader end 13 of the lever 13, whereby this lever with the shaft 19 and lever 11 moves out of a position sit-V uated a little behind its position shown in full lines into the position indicated by broken lines. The lever 11 moves the frame 8 from its rear to its front position indicated in broken lines, in which position the roll 9 rolls over the die of the wheel il to be used, thereby inlting the tace of the saine.

The cani 15 has in its periphery a recess 17, into which enters an antifriction roller 18, carried by the lever 13 and generally bearing on the periphery of the cani. in the initial position of the roller 1S, so that the Ytraine 8 is ituatcd not quite in its rear end posit-ion and the roll 9 is out ot contact with an interniciiliatc roller 19 ot metal. An iinpression in the :form olf a longitudinal groove is thereby prevented vtroni being produced in the roll 9 of elastic material owing to its lying t'or a long tinte against the intermediate roller 19 when thev tranking ina-v chine at rest.

The tivo side plates 5 are provided each with a recess Q0j in which an ink box is removably inserted. This box comprises a casing 21 that is U shaped in horizontal seetion, and the side walls ot', which are connected together above by a cross bar 22. In this easing 21 is removably inserted an inl; container comprisingr three fixed side walls 23 and a. :front wall 26 that 'is slidable in vertical. grooves Q4 and can be removed npwards by means ot' a hij.;l 25. The ink container rests below on two pins 27 extending,Y

forwardly from the rear 'Wall of the box 21, and is closed below by a. doctor roll 28 journaled in the tvro side Walls ot the box 21, and above by a vertically movable loadingr beain 29 slidingly fitting in the ink container. This beam 29 rests on the ink in the container', protects the ink from dust and oxidation and presses it down by its own Weight. The rear wall of the ink container is pressed lightly against the doctor roll 28 by tivo screws Si() in the rear Wall ot the box 21, so that when the roll Q8 is rotated, only'quite a thin :[ihn ot' ink is applied to its periphery.

The doctor roll 28 is rotated step-by-step by the trarne-S by Ineans ot the device illustrated .in Figure Roll QS carries at its one end a ratchet VWheel 31 Awith which a pawl ClQhaving; several teeth enga-ges. The paw] 32 has its rea# end pivoted to a` twoarined lever and is held in engagement with the ratchet-wheel 31 and pulled towards the rear by a spring detachably attached to it at 34. The length of the stroke otrthe paivl 32 can be regulated by a lever 37 which is rotatable about the pivotpin 36 ot the lever 3S and is'adjustable by means of a snap catch on a toothed raclf: 38 ot one side plate 5. The lever 33 has a lira 39 which overlies the lever 37 which when bearing against the lever 33 limits the rear end position of the pawl 32. This pawl has at its front end a stop 4:0 depending within reach of al nose 4:1 on the trame 8. When Ithis traine has almost reached its front end position, the nose 41 hits against the stop at() and drives the pawl 32 into its tront end position. Vhen the traine 8 moves backwards the pawl 8 is pulled baci; by the spring 33 without, however. driving the doctor roll 28. then the lun' 39' strikes the le ver 37 the rearward movement ot the pawl 32 ceases. lt will be seen that according to the position ot the lever 3T the lut: B9 will abut against it sooner or later. so that the rear end position o't the pawl is situated 'torn'ards or backwards, and consequently the nose 4:1 hits the stop l() later or earlier and nieves it a smaller or `greater distance. Consequently, the pavvl 32 can turn the doetor roll about a. sinaller or `@greater angle.

The ink is transterred troni the doctor roll 28 to the intermediate roller 19 by Ineans of a lick roller at?) consisting o1 elastic material, the roller 19 being rotated by a .spur gear 4t2 (Fig-r. 2) when the tranking' machine is working. One endpivot of the roller 43 is journaled in an eye #l1 in a plate Ll5 (ll lgs. 1, 1 and 5) and its other end pivot journaled in an eye L16 otl a. lever if? which laterally embraces the one longitudinal edge ot the plat- 45 and can swine` outwards (Fig. 5) about a pivot L18 against the action ot a spring 49. Vhen the lever et? is swung upwards, one pivot of the roller L13 is released so that the latter can be easily re inoved 'for cleaning purposes.

The plate 45 can swing up and down about an axle 50 resting in the side plates 5, which axle can be Withdrawn endwise in order to remove the plate 45 together with the lick roll 43 'out ot the framework 5.y 6. The front arm of a cranked lever 53 pivoted at 52'lies in alongitudinal slot 51 in the plate 45. A spring 54C holds the lever 58 in such a position that its front arin extends its entire length beyond the bottoni ot the plate 45. The rockin;Y movement 01 the lever is liinited by a set-screw at Aits rear end. On the rear cross bar ot the traine 8 is arranged a tappet 56avhicln when the traine 8 reciprocates, slides alonea the bottoni ol the lever 53 and lifts it and the iilato 45 so 'far that the liek roller is pressed yieldingly against the doctor roll 28. The tappet 5G is so diinensioned that it holds the. lever 53 with the plate 45 in the position shown in full lines in Fianrerl. in `which position the antitriction roller 1,8 lies in the recess 17 in the cani 15, but only at such a height that the lick roller 43 contacts neither with the intermediate roller 19 nor with the doc-1 tor roll 2S. Longitudinal .Grooves are there by prevented 'troni beine` toii'ned by the roller i3 bearing' for a long time on either ot the said rolls 19 and 28 whilst the machine is idle.

The described mechanism operates as tollows .'-When the 'flanking inachine lio driven the cani 15 and intermediate roller 19 rotate. lVhen the antifrietion roller 18 leaves the recess 17 the frame 8 makes a small rearward movement, whereby the lickroller 43 and the inking roll 9 Contact with the intermediate roller 19. When the piu 16 strikes the face 13 of the lever 13 a rapid forward movement is imparted to the frame S. whereby the lick roller 43 is pressed against the doctor roll 28 and the inkiug roll 9 is rolled under the die or stamp situated in the operative position and inks the saine. Shortly before the frame S reaches its front end position, the nose 41 strikes the stop Ll0 of the pawl 3'2 and drives the latter, whereby the doctor roll 28 is fed one step forward. Vhen the pin 16 leaves the face 13 that portion of the cam of smallest diameter meets the antifriction roller 18, and in consequence of the rapid change from minimum to maximum diameter of the cam rapidly returns the levers 13 and 11 with the frame 8, until the intermediate roller 19 cqntacts with the inking roll 9. soon as the tappet 56 leaves the lever 53 the plate 45 descends with the lick roller 43, so that the latter comes into Contact with the intermediate roller 19 and transfers ink to it, Then the antifriction roll 18 enters into the rceess 17 in the cam 15 the ink roll 9 is moved away from the intermediate roller 19 and the lick roller 43 is removed from the latter. The described cycle of operations is repeated before each letter. card or the like is stamped or otherwise marked by the machine.

Vhen the cover 1 is removed the entire inking mechanism, with the exception of the operating members 11, 12. 13, 14 and 15, can be removed and one can test it outside the machine as to its operation by moving the frame S to and fro. For cleaning the inking mechanism the ink box 21 with its ink container can be lifted out of the frame 5, 6 and the ink container 23, 26 can be removed from the ink box and be taken apart. Then the plate 45 with the lick roller can be removed, and the latter can be taken out of its bearings by swinging the lever 46. In order to be able to remove the inking roll 9 for conveniently cleaning it. its one pivot 9 (Fig. 6) is held in a recess 8 of the frame S by a leaf spring 8 which can be turned upwards about a pivot pin 8 and bent outwards.

I claim 1- 1. Inking mechanism comprising in com bination a framework adapted to be detach ably inserted in a machine, an ink box removably mounted on said framework, an ink container open at the top and bottom removably inserted in said ink box, a doctor roll journalled in said ink box closing the open bottom of said ink container, a sliding member fitting the open top of said ink con- IKS- tainer, a frame mounted to reciprocate below said box, an inking roll carried by Said frame in operative relation to said doctor roll, a lever arranged to reciprocate said frame, and a feed mechanism actuated by said frame and arrai'iged to fccd said doctor roll step-bystep,

2. lnking mechanism comprising in combination a trame work adapted to be removably inserted in a machine, an ink box dctachably carried by said frame work` au ink container adapted to be taken apart removably accommodated in said ink box, and having an opening at the top and bottom, a doctor roll journaled in said box and arranged to close the bottom of said container. an .ink-loading beam inserted intoV the top opening of said container, a frame mounted to reciprocate under said ink box, an inking` roll carried by said frame in operative relation to said doctor roll, means for reciprocatingsaid frame, anda feed mechanism actuated by said frame and arranged to intermittently rotate lsaid doctor roll.

lnking mechanism comprising in combination a framework adapted to be removably inserted in a machine, an ink box having a doctor roll associated therewith removably mounted on said framework, a frame mounted to reciprocate below said ink box, an inking roll carried by said frame, an intermediate roller arranged between said rolls, a lick roller mounted to swing between said doctor roll and said intermediate roller for transferring ink to the latter, means comprising a cam for reciprocating said frame, feed mechanism actuated by said frame and arranged intermittently to rotate said doctor roll, an oscillating means actuated by said frame and arranged to swing said lick roll to and fro between said doctor roll and intermediate roller, said cam in its starting position holding said frame in a position to keep said lick ro'ller and inking roll free from said doctor roll and said intermediate roller.

i1. Inking mechanism comprising in co1nbination a framework adapted to be removably inserted in a machine, an ink-box hav ing a doctor roll associated therewith removably mounted on said framework, a frame adapted to reciprocate under said inkbox, an inking-roll carried by said frame in operative relation to said doctor roll, a shaft, a forked lever fast on said shaft and engaging said frame, a second lever fast on said shaft, a rotary cam having a crank pin arranged to rock said second lever in one direction, a shaped portion of said cam being arranged to rock said second lever in the other direction and thereby reciprocating said frame, a pin carried by said second lever so as to bear on the periphery of said cam to normally hold said frame away from being reciprocated.

itsextrelne-rear position, and a feed mecha msm actuated? by sani: frame und? arranged.

intermittently to rotate sziid doctor roll..

5A Inkingmeehzmism :is set forth in claimy 3, wherein one bearing each of. the liek carried by said frznne arranged to Corien with said `lever and thereby reciprocating said plateV and liek roller upon seid frame 7. Inking mechanism comprisingr in coinbumtion :t framework, adopted to be removably inserted in a machine, an ink-box re movnbly mounted' on said framework, an [nk container open at the top and bottom removably inserted in said ink box, a doctory roll* journalled in said ink box Closing the open bottom of said ink container, 'a sliding memberfitting' the open top of said ink'oon tainer, a frame mounted to reciprocate be low saidfboxrand roll, :rn inkingi roll carriedv` by Srud framenr operative relation to sardi doctor' roll` ineens for reciproca-ting said frame, ande pzlwl-nnderuteliet feed mechaF nism aet-uatediI by said "mine and arranged intermittently to rotate said/doctorroll,sz1id' feed mechanism comprising.; arntohet wheel arranged to drive said doctor roilT'zunl4 :l pnwl engaging saidY ratchet wheel' and. operatively eonneetefif with said; frame so as to be dniven'by'thelatter only duringnportion ofits travel.

8. hiking mechanism as set fort-l1. in ehnrni 7, wherein said`l paw] is inounted'ony :i leverl eontrollecli,by :x spring tending' to retraet it and press it against saricl ratchet' Wl1eel,.and1 n second adjiistable lever constituting :i stop isarranged to regulate thestroke or? the 'first said lever.

seventh clay ofAugust. 1926.

ULRICH KoHLER.,

In testimony wllereov I' aiiix my signin 

